In defence of the controller over the mouse for online FPS

[rossatdi]

It's called:

Fucking. Personal. Preference.

How aggressive for a reply to a thread that is labelled "a defence". Also being aggressively tolerant just makes you seem like a asshole.

 

[KSarty]

So by virtue of experienced console players being worse than experienced PC players, the controller is a more viable option than a mouse? At best you're argument simply has nothing to do with the interface, at worst it is just asinine. You are speaking more along the lines of what platform is better for inexperienced to intermediate gamers, but you are making it look like it is a control scheme issue. This really has no bearing on what interface is better for online FPS matches.

Help me hosanna, console kids are annoying but nothing beats a PC gamer for being up himself. You seem to be willfully missing the point. Most people don't want to have to pour their lives into a game to be good at it. By having a smaller learning curve most console FPS players can reach a decent stage of aiming with a fair amount of ease. The difference then comes from other skills developed in a less aggressive manner.

1) With mouse control accuracy the range of skills is enormous, and it takes mind numbing hours of practice to get really good. (I remember battling through UT2003 bot games on 200% speed for just such a reason).
2) PC FPS online games are dominated by people who practice the most, to an extent far greater than in consoles. (I could just not commit the time to get as good as some CSS and UT players).
3) This is, for most people, a hobby. Being able to be good at something with less than 10 hours of gameplay a week is an asset, not a liability.
4) There is no actual point in being great at a game (unless you're actually pro) most people want to have fun.
5) Hours of training to play is, more the average person, not fun.
6) Consoles' narrower skill field is likely to lead to closer games of more people at comparative skill levels, i.e. fun .

Again, none of these points have anything to do with the control scheme. Its not my opinion that console gamers are worse, I was paraphrasing what you said. Again, you're argument has more to do with what platform is better for quick, fun games, and not what control scheme is better. This whole thread is just misleading. End it.

 

[rossatdi]

It's not sodding misleading, re-read it. I actually change it a little a moment ago but the first part is very clear: for actual immediate interactivity of course mouse is better.

"For single player games I will admit the complete ease of use is obviously preferable but for online FPSs I believe the controller wins EDIT In terms of making a good game /EDIT:"

 

[Eldritch Warlord]

PC FPS's always make my hands hurt.

There's no question that a mouse is better for aiming, and to me there's no question that a controller is better for my hands.

I play for fun and it's not fun to be in pain, it seems like most PC gamers miss the point.

 

[Uncompetative]

Goldeneye 007 on the N64 overcame the inadequacies of the gamepad as you could hold the left shoulder button to enter an aim mode which made the analogue stick directly point anywhere on the screen (like a mouse cursor). In order to stop you using this all the time it forced you to stand still whilst aiming, with the D-pad no longer moving you, but controlling leaning, sniper scope zoom, etc.

Rare refined the controls further with Perfect Dark with a radial selection HUD menu when the weapon cycle button was held down for a bit.

However, they forgot about balance when it came to Timesplitters, allowing movement whilst aiming at any point on the screen. I feel that this was a retrograde step as I liked the strategy of run and gun to cover, lean out and take expert headshots in a fraction of a second that the previous games encouraged.

The way most games have the gunsight always in the centre of the screen is a sorely missed opportunity. They disempower and disable the player, effectively giving them equivalent controls to a paraplegic in an electric wheelchair. Game designers should always aim to enable and empower the user, making them feel unconstrained by the interface that is the game's control scheme. If, as a result of this, the game seems too easy, they need to find ways of making the challenge harder - like more enemies. This will lead to a greater sense of drama.

I sincerely hope those Rare controls will surface again in some future game...

Wow. What a fascinating and insightful comment, but it is somewhat sad that everyone else in the forum should choose to ignore a possible way forward and just rant over the pros and cons of their preferred interface.

You don't deserve better game controls...

 

[clarinetJWD]

You forgot some:

The more comfortable and easier access to different buttons.
The analog sticks superiority over the WASD movement control.

Really? I can move and hit any control at the same time. Try aiming and hitting 'a' simultaneously, and then get back to me. I'll give you the second one, and incidentally, the only advantage of a gamepad at all.

 

[KSarty]

PC FPS's always make my hands hurt.

There's no question that a mouse is better for aiming, and to me there's no question that a controller is better for my hands.

I play for fun and it's not fun to be in pain, it seems like most PC gamers miss the point.

You're assuming that all PC gamers get pain in their hands and have to fight through it to play their games. I for one never get pains from playing any video games, pc or console.

 

[gibboss28]

PC FPS's always make my hands hurt.

There's no question that a mouse is better for aiming, and to me there's no question that a controller is better for my hands.

I play for fun and it's not fun to be in pain, it seems like most PC gamers miss the point.

You're assuming that all PC gamers get pain in their hands and have to fight through it to play their games. I for one never get pains from playing any video games, pc or console.

seconded.

 

[Zukhramm]

Controllers are more comfortable, that's all that matters to me. As long as everyone uses the same type, nothing is upset in multiplayer.

 

[rossatdi]

It's not really the point I was going on but it is nice to come home and relax in front of a TV from a sofa than swap one desk for another for playtime!

 

[KSarty]

It's not really the point I was going on but it is nice to come home and relax in front of a TV from a sofa than swap one desk for another for playtime!

My consoles are hooked up to my computer monitor, so its the same seat for me no matter what I play, but thats another odd argument. My computer chair is more comfortable to me than my couch. Like someone else said earlier, personal preference is key.

 

[rossatdi]

It's not really the point I was going on but it is nice to come home and relax in front of a TV from a sofa than swap one desk for another for playtime!

My consoles are hooked up to my computer monitor, so its the same seat for me no matter what I play, but thats another odd argument. My computer chair is more comfortable to me than my couch. Like someone else said earlier, personal preference is key.

Yeah and like I said, that's not really the point of the post. I spend 8+ hours at a desk, 5 days a week. So my (slowly) dying PC is hooked up to 37" plasma and I've got a wireless mouse and keyboard (yes I do know that wireless is slow, that's not for gaming!). It's pretty awesome though, I can work on something whilst watching a TV show that'd be bigger than any TV i've previously owned with no discomfort!

 

[KierzoSBC]

Wasent there some mention of Xbox 360's and Vista Computers playing togethor on the same servers. In which case this would come to a head.

I dont think that is the point that rossadti is making.

Correct me if i'm wrong, what i took from is that he's saying that for ease of use and drop in drop out gaming a controller is better.

TBH i'd have to agree.

I like using the mouse for aiming but that's only because i've been doing it for about 10 years in which case someone newer to it would have trouble and i also think the keyboard lets it down, searching for keys is a pain in the balls.

I have no doubt that if in actual fact M+KB players came up against controller players, the M+KB would come out on top but who gives a big fat fuck?

It's about having fun, having a hobby and enjoying it. Not training for weeks and weeks so that you can play online without being embaressed.

 

[rossatdi]

Luuulz.

Decoy Doctorpus covered everything that needs to be said.

Personally, I prefer playing basketball sober and in sneakers instead of drunk and wearing heavy steel boots on the wrong feet.

But everyone has different tastes! I just happen to prefer efficiency, speed, and accuracy.

All I'm going to say is epic fail when it comes to the point.

 

[KierzoSBC]

You both missed the point entirely.

*looks up*

What he said.

 

[KierzoSBC]

I think at this point, over a page in, the fact that people are still missing the point is tiring and imo it didnt warrent a more expansive retort.

*edit*
Look, this is what the craic is.

I'll lay it out plain and simple.

The point was made that if you dont want to spend hours training to be good then a controller is more suitable, if you do then a mouse is better.

What i dont giove a big fat fuck about is all the who would win in a fight bullshit.